U.S. singles out Syria in rights report

Feb. 27, 2014
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Secretary of State John Kerry discusses the release of the annual Human Rights Report on Thursday at the State Department in Washington. The annual report covered human rights practices of all countries receiving assistance from the U.S. and all United Nations member states. / Alex Wong Getty Images

by Oren Dorell, USA TODAY

by Oren Dorell, USA TODAY

WASHINGTON - The United States on Thursday singled out Syria, Russia, China and Egypt for using restrictive laws to suppress political opposition, minorities and journalists seeking to expose abuses, according to the State Department's 2014 Human Rights Report.

Those singled out for praise included Ukraine's protest movement, which U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said comprised people "calling for government accountability" and that illustrated the "power of people to determine how they are governed."

The USA stands with nations committed to a world "where speaking ones mind does not lead to prosecution and where professing one's love does not lead to persecution," Kerry said.

The State Department report chronicles annually human rights conditions in almost 200 countries and territories, identifying governments that the report says "continue to tighten their grasp" on free expression, association, and assembly, using increasingly repressive laws, politically motivated prosecutions and even new technologies to deny citizens their universal human rights."

"This is not some high minded exercise, this is about accountability," Kerry said. "This is about ending impunity.."

"Places where we see security challenges today are also places where governments have denied human rights to their people," Kerry said. "It is no coincidence," he said, that a recent report by the United Nations Human Rights Commission found massive crimes against humanity in North Korea.

That nuclear-armed government has fired artillery and antiaircraft weapons at people, "while masses are forced to watch, an example of gross intimidation," he said.

The report said countries where human rights are denied are also places were violent extremism and transnational crime take root, "contributing to instability, insecurity, and economic deprivation."

The Syrian civil war, where as many as 140,000 people have died since forces loyal to dictator Bashar Assad opened fire on unarmed demonstrators in March 2011, "stands apart in its scope and human cost," Kerry said in the report.

The Assad regime's Aug. 21 sarin gas attack that killed at least 1,429 people was among many crimes against humanity committed against Syrians, including torture and murder of prisoners, targeting civilians with barrel bombs and scud missiles, the report says.

The report identifies a pattern of repression elsewhere:.

> Bahrain restricted the rights of political groups to assemble, express themselves and communicate with foreign governments and international organizations, hindering political reform and reconciliation.

> Belarus security forces beat protesters and detainees and reportedly used torture or mistreatment during investigations.

> Cuba organized mobs to assault and disperse peaceful demonstrators,

> China carried out a crackdown against members of the New Citizens Movement, which urged the government to combat corruption

> Russia employed new laws on "foreign agents" and "extremism" to harass and prosecute government critics, including election monitors, media and political figures, and religious and sexual minorities.

> Egypt used security forces to kill between 600 to 900 protesters in breaking up demonstrations, making them by far the most violent disruptions of protests in 2013, the report said. And attacks against Christians and Shia Muslims continued, while reports of sexual violence against women while protesting rose dramatically in 2013.

The report also criticized Persian Gulf monarchies that are U.S. allies in the Middle East. It criticized the United Arab Emirates for arresting Islamist political activists who called for democratic reforms, and Saudi Arabia for harsh sentences such as a sentence of seven years and 600 lashes to Ra'if Badawai for participation in an organization that espouses "liberal thought," the report said.

And in Iran, despite a high turnout in June presidential elections, extensive vetting of candidates restricted citizens' right to change their government through elections. The clerical regime continues to limit its citizens' rights to assemble, speak and worship, including repression of Christians and Baha'i and other religious minorities, the report said.

The report said Christian pastors Saeed Abedini and Farshid Fathi remain in prison on charges related to their religious beliefs and the regime has subjected its citizens to politically motivated violence and repression including arbitrary arrest, beatings, and rape, the report said.

The abuses have continued and even worsened under the new presidency of Hassan Rouhani, said Uzra Zeya , acting assistant secretary of State for democracy, human rights and labor.

"We've seen little meaningful improvement in human rights in Iran under the new government, including torture, political imprisonment, harassment of religious and ethnic minorities," Zeya said. "Overall the situation remains poor."